Delhi’s IGIA Terminal 2 inaugurated after revamp: Self-baggage drop, 6 new boarding bridges, 120 daily domestic flights from Sunday

NEW DELHI: Civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu on Saturday inaugurated the renovated Terminal 2 (T2) at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which will reopen for operations from Sunday. Built by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) four decades ago, T2 had been shut since April this year for extensive renovation.

The upgraded terminal now has an annual capacity to handle 15 million passengers. IGIA, India’s largest airport, comprises three terminals — T1, T2, and T3 — and four runways, handling over 1,300 flight movements daily. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) operates the airport.

At the inaugural event, DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said IGIA’s total annual passenger handling capacity has now surpassed 100 million.

Earlier, DIAL announced that the expanded T1 can handle 40 million passengers annually, while T3 can accommodate 45 million. Starting Sunday, around 120 daily domestic flights operated by Air India and IndiGo will take off from T2. The first arrival, IndiGo flight 6E 2058 from Lucknow, is scheduled at 12.25am, while the first departure, flight 6E 2343 to Pune, will take off at 2.15am. Union minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and civil aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha visited the upgraded terminal on Saturday.

Air India posted on X: “Starting Oct 26, Air India and Air India Express will adjust their domestic operations at Delhi Airport.” The airline said all its domestic flights with numbers starting with the 1XXX series will operate from T2, while all domestic Air India Express flights will move to T1. International flights will continue from T3. Passengers were advised to keep their contact details updated and check flight or terminal information through the airline’s website, app, or 24x7 helpline. IndiGo, meanwhile, stated: “Starting Oct 26, all IndiGo 2000–2999 series flights currently operating from T1 will be reassigned to T2. As we transition operations, there may be some changes in flight schedules. We kindly request you to check your terminal details and flight status before heading to the airport.” IndiGo said it would share timely updates with passengers through their registered contact details. The upgraded terminal now features several passenger-friendly facilities, including a self baggage-drop system, six new passenger boarding bridges, and an advanced high-resolution display system for real-time flight updates. “The self baggage-drop facility is an independent baggage check-in facility which reduces their wait times, ushering in a seamless airport experience. It means no more long queues; simply scan your boarding pass, tag your luggage, and drop your bags in minutes,” DIAL said. The six passenger boarding bridges, equipped with autonomous docking technology and procured from South Korea, are designed for greater safety and convenience. “These include elevated ramps to assist wheelchair passengers and optimally adjusted cabins for seamless boarding. Additionally, the bridges feature sidecovering cushions for improved safety and aesthetics, along with swing doors that ensure operator safety while contributing to a modern and attractive design,” said DIAL. The airside and apron areas, which had been in service for more than 40 years, have also been overhauled to ensure smoother aircraft handling and accommodate growing traffic efficiently.(With agency inputs)